Sheet-glass apparatus



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J. L. BRAKE SHEET GLAS S APPARATUS Filed Oct. 19, 1.925

INVE NT Ell-'1 ATTEIENEY.

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.Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

1,698,492 UNITED STATES "PATENTOFFICE,

JOHN L. BRAKE-OF TOLEDO, OH'O, A SSGNOB TO THE LIBBEY-OWENS SHEET GLASS COMPANY, OF '.IJOII'JIEIDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. 4

SHEET-GLASS APPARATUS.

Application led October 19, 1925. `Serial No. 63,277.

sheetfrom heat and gases issuing from the furnace, and adapted to permit an exposure of the molten glass to the atmosphere j ust rior to its entrance into the sheet being rawn.`

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tank furnace and draw `pot of this nature, said draw pot having associated therewith lip-tiles, the central portions of which are arranged relatively further away from the sheet than the ends thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to v rovide an apparatus of this nature including lip-tiles having arcuated lips and arcuated heat-absorbing shields assoclated with lthe said lips to protect the sheet from heat and gases and to permit exposure of the surface glass being drawn into the sheet, the exposure being greatest at the central portlon.

Other ob'ects and advantages of the invention wi become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to des1gnate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section through a glass forming appa ratus showing my improved constructlon.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

In the patent to Colburn 1,248,809, granted Dec. '4, 1917, a sheet of glass is continuously drawn from 'a pool of molten glass. The sheet is drawn for a short distance in the vertical tplane, after which it is deiected and passe through a horizontal plane. The molten glass rom which the sheet is drawn is contained within a draw pot which is arranged in open communicatlon with a tank furnace, whereby the molten glass can be continuously re lenished.v Lip-tiles' are arranged on bot sides of the sheet, while water the apparatus including be continuously drawn, and includes means for .protecting the .place near the center of cooled heat-absorbing shields are arranged between the lip-tiles and the sheet to prevent the heat and gases present around the furnace from striking the sheet and causing a breakdown or surface defects therein. The YColburn machine7 as set forth iny this patent, uses lip-tiles having straightlips, that is, the lips of the 11p-tile and the ,sheet are equidistant throughout their entire lengths as are the heat-absorbing shields.

Molten glass has a tendency to adhere or stick to other bodies and this is particularly true of the -refractory clay blocks which are used to form draw pots and tanks. As a consequence the border portions of the moltenv glass moving toward the point of draw are retarded so that the central ortion of the flow ofA glass moves relative faster than the border portions. The Colburn machine makes use of a so-called surface draw which means thatthe outer surfaces of the sheet are formed from glass drawn from the surface of the molten source ofsupplfy. The atmosphere contact-ing with the sur ace glass in the draw pot between-the heat-absorbin coolers or shields and the sheet has a noticea le bearing upon the sheet drawn. Obviously, if the glass flowing along the border portions of the tank and pot is moving slower than the re' mainder of the glass, with a consequent reduction in temperature, the atmospheric exposure. between the shields and the sheet should be less near the ends of the sheet than atthe .center thereof to equalize, as far as possible, the uneven and unequal temperature and flow conditions which are created by thev natural retardation of the glass along the borders. v

- vIt is an aim of the present invention to provide a lip-tile and heat-absorbing shield that will permit an exposure to the atmosphere in a manner that a greater heat absorption takes the sheet than at its ends.

In the drawings,.the numeral 5 designates a portion of a tank furnace arranged 1n open communication withv a draw pot 6 which may be supported upon suitable'stools 7 contained-in a compartment whereby the .bottom of the pot may be heated. A source-'of molten glass 8 is continuously supplied to the draw pot 6 from the tank furnace 5.' l

Asheet 9 may be continuously drawn from a source of glass 8 and is preferably held lo" Colburn patent, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to this use or this machine.

Lip-tiles 14 are arranged above the lass 8 in the draw pot 6' and may be supporte upon l the rods 15 near one end while the opposite ends' may rest upon suitable blocks 16. The lips 17 of the lip-tiles differ from the prior art constructions in that they are arcuatedto resent a vertical surface which is relatively urther away from the center of the sheet 9 than at the ends thereof. Arcuated heatabsorbing shields 18 are used,V the curvature of the shields being similar tothe curvature of the .lips 1*'7. Conduits 19 are provided to permit a continuous passage of a cooling medium through the shields.

In use, the lower ed es of the shields are disposed very close to t e surface of the -molten glass, the edges being `relatively closer 3o than the lower edges of the lip-tiles.v It may be found necessary to adjust the shieldslvertically when anew supply of batch is being introducedwithin the tank furnace, this procedure being well known and -understood in the art. The lip-tiles are so shaped that heat and gases moving toward the sheet will be delected downwardly toward the molten glass, while the shields will prevent any injurious amount of heat and gases fromlpassing in proximity to the sheet. As the atmospheric ,exposure of the molten glass between, thel coolers and the sheet has an important bearing on the thickness of sheet and quality of sheet drawn, it will be seen that with the acuated lip-tiles and shields greater exposure is offered to the central portion of the glass than at the edges. Obviously, as the central portion of the flow is relatively hotter than the border portions, greater heat absorption is needed at the center to permit` the flow of glass to be uniform when it is drawn into the sheet. The exact curvature of the'lip-tile and cooler is dependent upon the width of sheet. being drawn but in all cases the center ofthe coolers and l the sheet.

The shields may be tilted toward or` away from the sheet for minute adjustments and for taking care of variations in the-thickness of the sheet drawn.

It is to be understood that the form of the j invention herewith shown and described is to Although ip-tiles should bow away froml ed to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Claims: j

1. In sheet glass -apparatus, including a mass of molten,.glass, means vfor drawinga sheet therefrom, and a curved heat-absorbing means arranged in proximity to the sheet, said member curving away from said sheet, from both sides toward the middle thereof.

2. In sheet glass apparatus, including a mass of molten glass, means for drawing a sheet therefrom, and a heat-absorbing means arranged near the surface of the glass from which the sheet is drawn, the ends ofthe heat-absorbing means being disposed relatively nearer the sheet than the middle thereof. v

3. In sheet glass apparatus, including a mass of molten glass, means for drawing a sheet therefrom, an internally cooled shield for protecting the sheet from heat around the glass from which the sheet is drawn, said shield being shaped to vexpose the central portion of the molten glass to more of the atmosphere than the remainder of the flow.

4. Insheet glass apparatus, including a mass ofmolten glass, means for drawin a sheet therefrom, a heat-absorbing means for protecting the sheet from heat around the molten glass from which the sheet is drawn, said heat-absorbing means being shaped to expose the central portion of the molten glass to more of the atmosphere than the remainder of the ow. v

5. In sheet glass apparatus, including a tank furnace and a massof molten lass, means for drawing a sheet therefrom, a eatabsorbing shield -for protecting the sheet from the heat and gases from said furnace, said shield being curved to expose more of the central portion of the molten-glass to the l atmosphere than the edge portions.`

6. In sheet glass apparatus, including a mass of molten glass, means for drawing a sheet therefrom, a lip-tile having a curved portion and a curved heat-absorbin means cooperative with the lip-tile an being bowed away from said sheet.

7. In sheet glass apparatus, including a mass of molten glass, means for drawing a sheet therefrom, a curved lip-tile and a curved heat shield associated with lip-tile, the central portion of the shield being relativel further from the sheet than the ends thereo y 8. In sheet glass apparatus, including a tank furnace, anda mass of molten glass, means for drawing a sheet therefrom, a li tile arranged in proximity to the sheet, tlrfe lip thereo being curved away from the sheet, and a cooler rested in said curved lip.

9. In sheet glass apparatus including a tank furnace and a mass of molten glass, means for drawing a sheet therefrom and an internally coole shield, said shield being curved away from said sheet from both sides sheet from both sides toward the middle toward the middle thereof. thereof.

10. In sheet'l glass apparatus including a Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas, l0 tank furnace ,and a mass of molten glass, and State of Ohio, this 16th day of October,

5 means. for drawing a sheet therefrom,A and 1925.

a cooler arranged in proximity to the sheet,

said cooler being curvedaway :from said JOHN L. DRAKE. 

